I know it has been a long time since our last post---keeping up with a blog is much harder than it seems :) ---but we have some wonderful things to report about!
We are finally rooming in with Colby at the hospital tonight! What does that mean you ask? We spend the night up here with Colby (possibly two nights depending on how he does) and he is all ours! We do the feedings every 3 hours, the diapers, the works! Basically---we finally get to act like parents! :) If we need anything, we just call one of the nurses.
We arrived a little before 8pm and got settled in our room. Started feeding him his bottle and that wasn't the best feed. We have been having a little trouble with our little man and his feeding. He has been ready to go except for getting those feedings on track for a about two weeks now. Here's hoping the next feeding goes a little better.
He is out of the room getting his little manly procedure done right now (poor baby) so when he is done he probably won't want to eat! :( So, his bottle at 11:20 may not go so great either!
He is doing such an amazing job each day---growing so much! He weighs 8 pounds 4 ounces now!! He is starting to look more like a little baby and less like a little man!
Colby is back in our room now and Daddy is talking to him about being home to watch the National Championship Game together! :) What a great day for Daddy and his little boy...and don't forget about sister---she has to be all up in the football game!
We are so thankful to all of our family and friends that have been there for us over these last few months. We don't know where we would be without you. You have been a rock for us to lean on, a source for love and support.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Brie and Jason
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Nov 20th to Nov 27th
Here is what has been going on with our pumpkin over the last week or so:
-He was taken off his oxygen and has done very well without it!!! He didn't even need it for feedings! Big Praises for that! What a wonderful big boy step in the right direction!
-He has gone to getting 47 CCs of formula to 52 CCs---we are almost up to 2 ounces! :) This has been a bit of a fight since we got back from Nashville. He just gets tuckered and doesn't finish up his bottle. We were doing every other feeding with a bottle and that has now dropped down to 3 times a day.
-They are a little concerned about him going backwards with this, They sent him to get an MRI last night to see if there was a reason they could see with that that would be affecting his eating. Hope to have some results when I call in about 30 minutes or so.
-If it gets to the point where his feedings are the only thing that is keeping him at the hospital---they have talked about the idea of sending him to Birmingham to get a G-tube. This is a tube that would go into his side and into his tummy. We would feed him his bottle and if he didn't finish all his formula during his allotted time, we would give him the rest through the tube. Mommy is still not sure how I feel about this so please say a prayer that I would have a peace about it if that is what is in His plan.
-Putting on some good weight!!!
-Nov 21st---6 lb 10 oz
-Nov 25th---6 lb 15 oz
-Nov 26th---7 lb 2 oz!!!!! I can't believe my little man weighs over 7 pounds already! I am going to be adding some pictures! Watch how chubby those cheeks get!!! :)
-Colby has also gotten to have some time in one of the swings in the NICU!!! So nice to think about him actually being able to do regular baby things!
-We were able to take Ainsley up the NICU on Sunday evening to take some Christmas pictures. I had talked with one of the nurses and was hoping just to take one in his room but the nurses up there are wonderful! They worked it out so we could pop into one of the room-in rooms to take our pictures. (Room-in rooms are for parents to stay in the night before they are able to take their baby home so that they can take care of the baby overnight but have someone right outside the door in case they have questions or issues). Brandi was very helpful---she handled taking some family pictures for us so we could have all 4 of us in them! It was also nice because Colby wasn't hooked up to anything---they had taken his feeding tube out for pictures for us, and unhooked him from everything so we could tuck wires into his clothes. That was the first night I didn't feel like I was going to break him! :) It was a wonderful chance to get to see him like that and to feel more comfortable without even realizing it!
That is where we are for right now. Thank you for all the continued prayers and support. It truly helps us get through another day with a smile. I am going to upload some pictures now!
God Bless,
Brie
-He was taken off his oxygen and has done very well without it!!! He didn't even need it for feedings! Big Praises for that! What a wonderful big boy step in the right direction!
-He has gone to getting 47 CCs of formula to 52 CCs---we are almost up to 2 ounces! :) This has been a bit of a fight since we got back from Nashville. He just gets tuckered and doesn't finish up his bottle. We were doing every other feeding with a bottle and that has now dropped down to 3 times a day.
-They are a little concerned about him going backwards with this, They sent him to get an MRI last night to see if there was a reason they could see with that that would be affecting his eating. Hope to have some results when I call in about 30 minutes or so.
-If it gets to the point where his feedings are the only thing that is keeping him at the hospital---they have talked about the idea of sending him to Birmingham to get a G-tube. This is a tube that would go into his side and into his tummy. We would feed him his bottle and if he didn't finish all his formula during his allotted time, we would give him the rest through the tube. Mommy is still not sure how I feel about this so please say a prayer that I would have a peace about it if that is what is in His plan.
-Putting on some good weight!!!
-Nov 21st---6 lb 10 oz
-Nov 25th---6 lb 15 oz
-Nov 26th---7 lb 2 oz!!!!! I can't believe my little man weighs over 7 pounds already! I am going to be adding some pictures! Watch how chubby those cheeks get!!! :)
-Colby has also gotten to have some time in one of the swings in the NICU!!! So nice to think about him actually being able to do regular baby things!
-We were able to take Ainsley up the NICU on Sunday evening to take some Christmas pictures. I had talked with one of the nurses and was hoping just to take one in his room but the nurses up there are wonderful! They worked it out so we could pop into one of the room-in rooms to take our pictures. (Room-in rooms are for parents to stay in the night before they are able to take their baby home so that they can take care of the baby overnight but have someone right outside the door in case they have questions or issues). Brandi was very helpful---she handled taking some family pictures for us so we could have all 4 of us in them! It was also nice because Colby wasn't hooked up to anything---they had taken his feeding tube out for pictures for us, and unhooked him from everything so we could tuck wires into his clothes. That was the first night I didn't feel like I was going to break him! :) It was a wonderful chance to get to see him like that and to feel more comfortable without even realizing it!
That is where we are for right now. Thank you for all the continued prayers and support. It truly helps us get through another day with a smile. I am going to upload some pictures now!
God Bless,
Brie
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
BIG UPDATES!!!
It has been just a little bit...things have been very crazy and hectic since our trip up to Nashville! Here are the highlights from the last week or so:
Nov 13--Colby was in his own room at the hospital so we were able to spend a long time with him this morning before he had to get ready for surgery. The doctor was wonderful and explained that he was going to go in and try to remove the scar tissue that was forming in Colby's right eye. The idea was that hopefully after removing the scar tissue, his retina would relax and hopefully reattach itself. He was going to look at his left eye and see if it needed more work while he was there.
Surgery in his right eye went well but it will be about 3-4 weeks before we know how well the right eye is doing. The doctor didn't do any surgery or further laser on Colby's left eye so that was an answered prayer! He had a little patch over his eye to keep his hands and fingers from hitting it. They got Colby off the ventilator (he had to be on it for the surgery) and onto the high flow cannula and then to the regular cannula very quickly.
Colby came back to Montgomery on November 15 and had a good ride home.
--We have had Aunt Kathy in town since Nov 16 so Colby has had a lot of visitors and lots of love over the last few days.
--We have been working on his bottle feeding over the last few days and he is getting better. He just needs to keep working on getting stronger. :)
--His eye patch came off on Nov 17 and it has been looking good. He is still getting drops in his eyes and Dr. Parma is coming to check on him a couple times a week still. Colby weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces on the 17th!!!
--Big sister has gotten to hold Colby again. She really likes it when she gets to hold him.
--During our visit on the 19th Hope, the RN on duty that day, came to tell us they were taking him off his oxygen!!!! YEAH!!!! WHOO HOO!!!! PRAISES!!!! They were going to keep the tube by his bedside so if he needed it for feedings he could have it---other than that---he was going to be on his own!
--Checked on him this this afternoon and he has been doing really well without his extra oxygen and he hasn't even needed it during his feedings!!!! Mommy is so proud of Colby! Such a big step toward coming home!
--We still need to work on getting him feeding every time. Right now he is taking a bottle one feeding and then they give it to him in his feeding tube the next. Then back to the bottle. He needs to be taking the bottle each time and keeping his weight on. That is another next step to coming home. Can't be feeding from the tube at home! :)
--We also need to work on coming off the medications that he is on.
We are so very excited to see all the progress that our little man has been making over the last few weeks! Mommy is trying to be patient and encouraging all at the same time. We are very thankful for all of you that are praying for our little family. Please continue to pray for healing for Colby's eyes. Pray for him to grow stronger so he can handle bottle feeding at every feeding. Please pray for him to not need the extra medicines that they are having to give him right now. And please pray for his continued growth and strength. And many praises for all the wonderful things we have seen happen these last couple of weeks. We are very blessed.
Thank you,
Brie
Nov 13--Colby was in his own room at the hospital so we were able to spend a long time with him this morning before he had to get ready for surgery. The doctor was wonderful and explained that he was going to go in and try to remove the scar tissue that was forming in Colby's right eye. The idea was that hopefully after removing the scar tissue, his retina would relax and hopefully reattach itself. He was going to look at his left eye and see if it needed more work while he was there.
Surgery in his right eye went well but it will be about 3-4 weeks before we know how well the right eye is doing. The doctor didn't do any surgery or further laser on Colby's left eye so that was an answered prayer! He had a little patch over his eye to keep his hands and fingers from hitting it. They got Colby off the ventilator (he had to be on it for the surgery) and onto the high flow cannula and then to the regular cannula very quickly.
Colby came back to Montgomery on November 15 and had a good ride home.
--We have had Aunt Kathy in town since Nov 16 so Colby has had a lot of visitors and lots of love over the last few days.
--We have been working on his bottle feeding over the last few days and he is getting better. He just needs to keep working on getting stronger. :)
--His eye patch came off on Nov 17 and it has been looking good. He is still getting drops in his eyes and Dr. Parma is coming to check on him a couple times a week still. Colby weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces on the 17th!!!
--Big sister has gotten to hold Colby again. She really likes it when she gets to hold him.
--During our visit on the 19th Hope, the RN on duty that day, came to tell us they were taking him off his oxygen!!!! YEAH!!!! WHOO HOO!!!! PRAISES!!!! They were going to keep the tube by his bedside so if he needed it for feedings he could have it---other than that---he was going to be on his own!
--Checked on him this this afternoon and he has been doing really well without his extra oxygen and he hasn't even needed it during his feedings!!!! Mommy is so proud of Colby! Such a big step toward coming home!
--We still need to work on getting him feeding every time. Right now he is taking a bottle one feeding and then they give it to him in his feeding tube the next. Then back to the bottle. He needs to be taking the bottle each time and keeping his weight on. That is another next step to coming home. Can't be feeding from the tube at home! :)
--We also need to work on coming off the medications that he is on.
We are so very excited to see all the progress that our little man has been making over the last few weeks! Mommy is trying to be patient and encouraging all at the same time. We are very thankful for all of you that are praying for our little family. Please continue to pray for healing for Colby's eyes. Pray for him to grow stronger so he can handle bottle feeding at every feeding. Please pray for him to not need the extra medicines that they are having to give him right now. And please pray for his continued growth and strength. And many praises for all the wonderful things we have seen happen these last couple of weeks. We are very blessed.
Thank you,
Brie
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Surgery Update
They are prepping Colby for surgery now. Dr. Recchia will be here around 1:00 and surgery will begin around 1:30.
Dr. Recchia is going to take a look at the left eye and if more laser is needed he will go ahead and do that. He will also perform the procedure to remove the scar tissue with the hope that the retina will relax and lay back down on the eye.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Retinal Eye Surgery
Dr. Parma called Saturday morning and informed us that the Avastan injection that he gave to Colby's right eye was not slowing down the growth of scar tissue and that the detachment of the retina was worsening. They will be transporting Colby to Nashville Monday morning and late Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Recchia, will perform surgery to try to remove the scar tissue and reattach the retina. We will find out more details once Dr. Recchia has a chance to evaluate him.
Please be in prayer for Colby's eyes. Pray for safe travel for Colby, as well as, Brie and I. Pray for wisdom and steady hands for Dr. Recchia.
It is hard to not question your faith when times are tough. Even though we do not always understand why thing happen the way they do, we can take comfort in knowing that God's plan is perfect and that He will give us the strength to endure. I found the following verses tonight and they said everything I needed to hear.
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
By His light I walked through darkness. Job 29:3
Colby sure does like his formula. He weighed in at 6 lbs 1 oz tonight. We just need to get him taking it all from a bottle so that we can get him home.
Thank you all for the love and support you have shown us. God has put so many caring people in our lives and we would not be able to make it through this without you all.
Please be in prayer for Colby's eyes. Pray for safe travel for Colby, as well as, Brie and I. Pray for wisdom and steady hands for Dr. Recchia.
It is hard to not question your faith when times are tough. Even though we do not always understand why thing happen the way they do, we can take comfort in knowing that God's plan is perfect and that He will give us the strength to endure. I found the following verses tonight and they said everything I needed to hear.
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
By His light I walked through darkness. Job 29:3
Colby sure does like his formula. He weighed in at 6 lbs 1 oz tonight. We just need to get him taking it all from a bottle so that we can get him home.
Thank you all for the love and support you have shown us. God has put so many caring people in our lives and we would not be able to make it through this without you all.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Need some eye prayers!
Jason got a call from Dr. Parma about Colby's eye check up. It looks like the injection of Avastan that Dr. Parma put into Colby's left eye has been helping and doing better! We are not seeing as much improvement in the right eye now. It has some scar tissue forming and it is starting to pull on the retina. The blood vessels inside are starting to get "angry" and not going in a positive direction. Dr. Parma wanted to inject the Avastan into the right eye to see if this stops these issues. He plans on doing that this evening when he goes over to the hospital.
Please pray that this works. If we can't get the scar tissue to stop forming/pulling then we will be looking at possible retina surgery in Vanderbilt. We pray that it doesn't get this far. Our little man has been through so much.
If you would just remember Colby in your prayers-we would be so grateful.
Thank you!
Brie
Please pray that this works. If we can't get the scar tissue to stop forming/pulling then we will be looking at possible retina surgery in Vanderbilt. We pray that it doesn't get this far. Our little man has been through so much.
If you would just remember Colby in your prayers-we would be so grateful.
Thank you!
Brie
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Finally an update! 12 days after the last!
Wow...these last few weeks have been very hectic! Since there would be so much to go over---I am going to try something a little different this time. Here are some important highlights for the last two weeks(ish):
--We were finally able to catch up with Pat and Betty so they could go and visit Colby! (10.24.12)
--Found out that day that he has a little red mark on his bottom! Little darker than a stork bite but really kinda cute! (10.24.12)
--Up to 4 pounds 11 ounces, 17 1/2 inches long, and 40 CCs of formula (30 CCs = 1 ounce)
--Up to 4 pounds 12 ounces by Oct 25
--Went to work with Colby's feeding therapist so she could show us how best to feed Colby and how we needed to work with Colby to teach him. It was very enlightening! (10.26.12)
--Up to 4 pounds 14 ounces on Oct 27 with feedings of 42 CCs
--On Colby's 3 month birthday he weighed 4 pounds 15 ounces! The nurses made him a sweet birthday balloon that is on his big boy bed!!! And there were sweet 3 month pictures take as well.
--We are having to learn to watch Colby's face durning feeding to make sure we are feeding him correctly. We area learning to watch for his breathing being consistent.
--He finally hit the 5 pound mark today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5.29.12
--Jessica came to work with him again and he had an upper GI to check his reflux. He is now getting some Prilosec to help with that. (10.30.12)
--Had a really cute Halloween outfit on! He has hit the 5 pounds 3 ounces!
-- Still working a lot of the bumps and bruises--learning out to eat, keeping the oxygen low, and learning to get the bottle for each feeding.
--Up to 5 pounds 5 ounces today! (11.22.02)
--Up to 5 pound 7 ounces! (11.3.12)
--Today---Ainsley got to hold her brother for the first time! She did such a good job and showed us what a wonderful big sister she is going to be. He weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces tonight! (12.4.12) \
--I know this is a lot of information at one time and I am sorry that it has been so much time since the last post. Thank you to all of you that have kept us in your thoughts and payers. I continue to see God's miracles each & every day while up there in the NICU--He is truly amazing.
--We were finally able to catch up with Pat and Betty so they could go and visit Colby! (10.24.12)
--Found out that day that he has a little red mark on his bottom! Little darker than a stork bite but really kinda cute! (10.24.12)
--Up to 4 pounds 11 ounces, 17 1/2 inches long, and 40 CCs of formula (30 CCs = 1 ounce)
--Up to 4 pounds 12 ounces by Oct 25
--Went to work with Colby's feeding therapist so she could show us how best to feed Colby and how we needed to work with Colby to teach him. It was very enlightening! (10.26.12)
--Up to 4 pounds 14 ounces on Oct 27 with feedings of 42 CCs
--On Colby's 3 month birthday he weighed 4 pounds 15 ounces! The nurses made him a sweet birthday balloon that is on his big boy bed!!! And there were sweet 3 month pictures take as well.
--We are having to learn to watch Colby's face durning feeding to make sure we are feeding him correctly. We area learning to watch for his breathing being consistent.
--He finally hit the 5 pound mark today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5.29.12
--Jessica came to work with him again and he had an upper GI to check his reflux. He is now getting some Prilosec to help with that. (10.30.12)
--Had a really cute Halloween outfit on! He has hit the 5 pounds 3 ounces!
-- Still working a lot of the bumps and bruises--learning out to eat, keeping the oxygen low, and learning to get the bottle for each feeding.
--Up to 5 pounds 5 ounces today! (11.22.02)
--Up to 5 pound 7 ounces! (11.3.12)
--Today---Ainsley got to hold her brother for the first time! She did such a good job and showed us what a wonderful big sister she is going to be. He weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces tonight! (12.4.12) \
--I know this is a lot of information at one time and I am sorry that it has been so much time since the last post. Thank you to all of you that have kept us in your thoughts and payers. I continue to see God's miracles each & every day while up there in the NICU--He is truly amazing.
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